I've got some footage on our ancient DAT digicam which I want to transfer to PC and upload to youtube - doesn't need to be hi def. Camera has a firewire output, but that means finding the firewire card I bought for our PC years ago, and a lead, throwing son off PC, and fitting card in the PC.
Alternatively the camera has a USB output, primarily so you can use it as a webcam. However played back recordings also come down the USB, and can be captured by Windows Movie Maker.
I just done that on my (XP) laptop, but at some point into the ~5 min recording the sound gets completely out of sync with the picture. Is that likely to be the camera, the software, or something else? Is there some other freeware I should be using instead of Movie Maker?
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Do you not have access to a laptop with a mini Firewire connector and use that? My old Sony miniDV camcorder was able to use USB but offered more flexibility using Firewire.
I think you already know this would be a lot simpler using Firewire :-)
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>> Do you not have access to a laptop with a mini Firewire connector and use
>> that?
No (other stepson just been at home with his Sony laptop - it hasn't got one either)
>> I think you already know this would be a lot simpler using Firewire :-)
Not if I can't find it (or the lead) :)
Last edited by: Focus on Sun 25 Mar 12 at 22:17
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Just tried capturing the digicam playback using AVS Video Editor
www.avs4you.com/AVS-Video-Editor.aspx
and it tells me 'the video and audio data fall out of sync' so it can't perform the capture :(
Still not sure if that's the camera or something else. Going to have to try and dig out the firewire card I think.
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All laptops I've had (admittedly work ones) have had Firewire. But I know consumer ones often don't. Surprised at the Sony though.
Firewire card for a laptop fairly cheap. I would imagine newer camcorders are USB only by now but older ones (and you mention DAT and not miniDV) are more likely to be Firewire with some USB support.
I know on my Sony it could be used as a webcam etc but controlling it and transferring video just worked/works with Firewire.
What spec PC are you using and what is the make and model of the camcorder?
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>> doesn't need to be hi def.
That's quite funny/quaint since the ancient camcorder never captured the video in HD in the first place. It will be PAL576 won't it :-)
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>> (and you mention DAT and not miniDV)
Whoops - sorry, I meant miniDV.
>> What spec PC are you using and what is the make and model of the
>> camcorder?
Laptop is a Vostro Intel P8700 IIRC with 4GB; if I find the firewire card it will be going in the PC which has an AMD X3 445 and 4GB. I used a much lower spec previous PC to transfer some stuff off the camera in the past when I first bought the firewire card.
Camcorder is a Panasonic NV-GS11EB.
Last edited by: Focus on Sun 25 Mar 12 at 22:33
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The problem is the USB connection in the camera. It wasn't designed to transfer the video, merely stream it. Hence its employing no form of synching or handshaking or buffering merely streaming it.
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But what's the difference between streaming 'live' footage and recorded footage? It's out by seconds, not fractions of a second BTW.
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I think the USB connection is streaming the video off the tape (or from the lens/sensor). The Firewire port is transferring the data off the tape as is and is not for viewing.
If I watch the transfer with preview on for Firewire you can see periods when the video is not quite right. Hard to explain. But it is transferred okay.
For the sake of £20 or less, I'd just get a PCI Express Firewire card for the laptop. Don't mess with the other PC which already has issues! :-)
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>> Don't mess with the other PC which already has issues! :-)
Back to full 4GB now, albeit non-dual (er, single?) channel. No more crashes, thank goodness...
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>> But what's the difference between streaming 'live' footage and recorded footage? It's out by seconds,
>> not fractions of a second BTW.
Using firewire for data transfer, everything is synched and buffered, check pointed.
Using USB on the other hand its just streaming the stuff willy nilly. USB cams don't actually have a large (relatively) data stream - in video terms not much changes, backgrounds stay much the same for example. So for a Web cam it would manage to stay in synch mostly.
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The difference in capability between USB and Firewire for my camcorder says USB was for use as a webcam or similar. Firewire for transferring video.
Actually that's my findings for the camcorder before the one I now have. The original was smashed up in a car accident and replaced by insurance. Not used the replacement much at all in nearly 6 years.
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I've found the firewire card for the PC; the lead has yet to turn up but it must be around somewhere...
However, I see that you can get firewire/USB leads on ebay eg.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5M-USB-Firewire-4Pin-1394-IEEE-Digital-Cable-Lead-/280388107756
So I don't need a card?
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91 quid? NINETY ONE QUID?
Find your existing cable.
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>> 91 quid? NINETY ONE QUID?
Good grief - I didn't spot that! Just picked one from a list.
How about this one then:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-4Pin-Firewire-Digital-Camera-Cable-Lead-/190482397594
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Ah I see there's a question there:
Q: I recently bought this cable from another ebay seller but my laptop couldn't recognise my dv camera. On obtaining info from the web, it doesn't appear to be possible to connect a fire wire device through a usb port. Could you confirm that I can connect my digital video camera to my pc with this cable. cheers, Mark
A: Afternoon, The cable does connect, but it depends if your cameras firmware (the software built into the camera) supports usb to firewire conversion. If it doesnt sometimes the manufacture has updated software from their website. Hope that helps Regards Sarah AVSeller Customer Services
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I'd be surprised if such a cable worked. USB and IEEE1394 (Firewire) are totally different. The only thing I can think of is (a) it's a scam and they will claim your camera isn't supported and (b) if it can work on some cameras then the camera is outputting USB via the 4 pin Firewire port.
If you had a laptop you normally use, I'd be looking at a Firewire ExpressCard adapter. Assuming the laptop has a ExpressCard port that is. But you'd still need to find your cable.
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Capture video playback over USB from DAT digicam - Focusless
